I have more questions than answers. But I believe in something much bigger and try to share the little glimpses I see. Please share yours. Together we can create more - I believe.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Become One

We try to explain spirit with words. Language is too limited. As hard as we try, words can only capture a tiny fraction of the essence of it. As much as I think about it, try to understand it, try to write about it, most often I land on words that aren't explaining it well.
Spirit is energy that is experienced through action. How do we explain action, experience and energy? How can action, experience and energy be universally understood and shared?
When hot air balloons and steam engines were first introduced, people were amazed. How could something unseen create energy - cause a specific action? It was mystical and magical. Wizardry!
When electricity was first introduced, it made no sense to even the most educated. There were no mechanical parts transferring the energy. We cannot see it running along the wire. Most of us today cannot explain how it works. We just know it does (most of the time).
We understand that electricity is generated at a source - somewhere. We also understand that a circuit can only carry so much. Overload it and it shuts off. We're accustomed to consuming energy.
Many spiritual teachings focus on this type of model. All energy is generated from one source - god - and we are expected to worship it, read about it, quote about it, pray to it and draw everything from it.
We're consumers. We have no power, and are seen as repulsive unless covered by the blood of someone else. A blood thirsty source of power is a very odd belief.
Believing that we can and should endlessly consume energy from that source seems equally odd. We can see how that belief system is playing out in the world as resources are depleted in many places and hoarded in others. People can't get filled up. After worshiping more, reading more, quoting more and praying more - there is still not enough flowing in so it must be because other people aren't worshiping enough or worshiping right or reading enough or quoting enough or praying right.
Is it possible that the source isn't blood thirsty, isn't repulsed by us and doesn't expect us to be consumers? Every day, all around us are examples of creation. Creation does not happen in isolation. We are all part of it. We can stifle it or we can contribute to it. We are not separate from it. We are part of the source. We bless the source by contributing to it or curse the source by devouring it. No amount of worshiping, reading, quoting, or praying changes that. Are you creating or are you depleting? That's the question! You cannot worship, read, quote or pray your way out of answering that question. Are you creating or destroying?
The most mystical, magical source of all is creation - the gift of creation - the gift to create. That is the spirit path. Creation is an action - an experience - an energy. Creation is part of all experience and all energy. Your belief system - your spirit - your spirituality and how you practice it - either contributes to creation or stifles it. Your belief system - your spirit - your spirituality and how you practice it- either encourages others to create or stifles them. The only way you know is to focus on the outcomes of your actions. The only way to understand outcomes is to become mindful of each and every part of creation from the perspective of the other. Humility. Be humble enough to accept that others see things you cannot. Open your spirit to see.
Picture yourself as a solar panel. The sun provides an abundance of energy that you can collect. Be efficient with that energy. Don't stay off the grid. Share the surplus and share all that you have been able to create from the abundant energy. You have the power to do more. Do more. Share more. That's how you worship the source. Become part of the source. Become one with the source. We are called to become one.